Each summer at county farm fairs, kids auction off animals they have raised — and sometimes earn thousands of dollars in the process. This month a 12-year-old boy from Huron County, Ohio did just that, and then he did something amazing. Diesel Pippert said he would take the $15,000 he earned from the sale of his pig at the Huron County Fair and donate it to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Diesel, who is a seventh grader, has been competing in livestock auctions at the fair for the last three years. This summer he decided to take the competition to another level, after he heard about a teen in a nearby county who had donated $11,000 to St. Jude from the sale of a hog he had raised. Diesel told the auction crowd that his goal was to top that mark with his pig. Starting with a bid of $500, Diesel’s pig topped the teen’s auction mark with ease. St. Jude’s, which treats children with serious illnesses and cancer, was thrilled to learn of the donation. But not as thrilled as Diesel’s mother. “Our hearts are full of joy,” she said. “He’s a remarkable young man.” Diesel Pippert did a special thing to help others when he donated the money he earned from a pig he raised to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about another person doing something special to help others. Write a letter to the editor publicly thanking this person for doing something special and telling how it could inspire others.

Common Core State Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task; citing textual or visual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.

2. Making History

In the 72-year history of the Little League World Series, just 19 girls have suited up to play with the boys in the tournament. This year, all eyes were on 12-year-old Maddy Freking of Minnesota, who was the only girl on the 16 teams in the Series, and the first since Mo’ne Davis made headlines with her pitching in in 2014. Maddy, who is the starting second baseman for the Coon Rapids-Andover team, turned in some sharp plays in the field, and also earned a place in the history books by becoming just the sixth girl to ever pitch in the World Series. She came in to pitch with the bases loaded, struck out the first batter she faced and got the last out with a sparkling throw to home plate. Girls were not allowed to play Little League Baseball until 1974, and Maddy says “it’s an honor” to be one of the few to make it to the World Series. “For any little girls that are watching me, I’d tell them to keep playing their game and always do their best,” she told ESPN-TV. By playing in the Little League World Series, Maddy Freking became a role model encouraging girls or boys to be a success. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about another person who is a role model for girls or boys. Pretend you are going to interview this person. Write out three questions you would like to ask about becoming a role model. Then write out answers you think the person might give.

Common Core State Standards: Reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task.

3. One Very Valuable Dime

In most stores these days, you can’t buy very much with just a dime. Unless your dime is a very old, very special, very rare dime like the one just sold in Chicago, Illinois. That dime was 125 years old and one of just 24 that were ever made. Utah businessman Dell Loy Hansen paid an eye-popping $1.32-million to add it to his collection. The dime was made in San Francisco, California, in 1894 and is called the 1894-S Barber Dime because it was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber. On the front it features an image of Lady Liberty and the words “United States of America; on the back it has a wreath border and the words “One Dime.” Collectors often pay great sums of money for very rare things. In the newspaper or online find and closely read a story about someone paying a lot for a rare item. Use what you read to write a letter to a friend or relative discussing why someone would pay a lot for such an item. Discuss rare things you would pay a lot for if you had the money. Explain your choices.

Common Core State Standards: Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.

4. What a Find!

Playing outside in nature can have big rewards for kids, if you listen to experts on children. A 12-year-old Ohio boy got a reward this summer that not even the experts could imagine. While on vacation with his family, Jackson Hepner went outside to play around in a creek bed near the Inn at Honey Run in the town of Millersburg. While playing in the mud on the edge of the creek he stumbled on an unusually shaped object that caught his attention. When he pulled it out, it quickly got everyone else’s attention, too. Experts identified his unusual object as a seven-inch-long mammoth tooth that may be more than 10,000 years old. Mammoths were ancient relatives of elephants who had large teeth for eating plants. Fossil discoveries help teach people how and where wildlife lived in the past. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about a fossil discovery. Use what you read to draw a series of comic strips explaining the discovery and why it is important.

Common Core State Standards: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

5. Character Traits

From sports stars to politicians, people in the news have strong character traits that affect their performances and success. A person's character traits are the kinds of attitudes they show over long periods of time. Someone may be kind, or funny, or mean, or dishonest. A person may help others, or pick on others. With a partner, find a story in the newspaper that tells you something about a person. On a sheet of paper list different character traits that the person has. Finish by writing a sentence describing what kind of person you think your subject is.

Common Core State Standards: Citing textual or visual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions; conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.